Programme Notes: A Guide

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Programme Notes: A Guide CONTENT STYLE AIMS Programme Notes: Believe it or not, it doesn't have to bore the living daylights out of you. Scope of historical references Analysis is not a bad word Anaecdotes Illustrations Both the composer's...and yours. Personality What about it is a Programme? Now, it is my experience that people usually can’t agree about much to do with music. For Mr A the Bach was the best, but Mrs B preferred the Chopin and Mr C doesn’t like anything written before 1945. So the ‘pin drop’ experience somehow transcends these personal preferences. Why and how this happens is quite mysterious. But even more mysterious is the effect of it happening to an entire audience at once. And it can last for quite a long period of time, even complete movements. - Michael Houstoun The dating game Reception history Good composers borrow, great composers steal.- attributed to Stravinsky Related works and composers Interpretation Before: Preparation of a workAfter: Presentation of interpretation What's in a name? Is Wikipedia your friend? Attention Suggestions for Focal Areas Baroque: MechanismClassical: Stylistic aspectsRomantic/Impressionistic: Image20th/21st C.: Novelty Not about trivia; it is simply that composers are people too. Adapt from existing sources